Vehicle-wheel



W. N. ALLAN.

VEHICLE WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2 1, 1920- RENEWED JAN. 31, I921.

PatentedAug. 30, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

WITNESSES= W. N. A'LLAN.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21, 1920. RENEWED JAN. 3|, 1921. 1,389,472.

Patented Aug. 30, 1921.-

2 sums-sun 2.

TIE:- E TIE- E INVENTOR 1447/18/71 fl/fllmz,

WITNESSES:

A TTORN E Y ILLIAM N. ALLAN, or SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

Application filed February 21, 1920, Serial No. 350,425.

nected to the tread and felly. The springunit extremities overlap theextremities of the rigid devices and the sets of overlapping extremitiesare formed with sockets having anti-frictional devices interposedbetween andengaging the same, and whereby the eX- tremities of thespring units and of the rigid devices may have relative longitudinalsliding or shifting movement to compensate for pressure stresses towhich a tire is subjected during its service. .The present improved tireorganization'is very similar to that embodied inmy copendingapplications, Serial Numbers. 360,423 and 360,424, filed F ebruary 21,1920 but differs essentially from these copendlng tire structures inthat a spring unit and a rigid device cooperates in each. group, and thespring unit is of heavier, construction to adapt the tire for Workwhereinthe weight stress of the vehicle load is materially greater thanon an ordinary automobile wheel or tire. I

The, present invention consistsin the preferred construction andarrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafterdescribed andclaimed.

In the drawings Figure l is a side elevation of a wheel embodying theimproved tire.

Fig. '2 is a transverse vertical section through the vertical center ofthe wheel and tire.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical section through the improvedtire and felly.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the spring units.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detailed views, respectively, in section and frontelevation of a part of one of the rigid devices or units.

The numeral 5 designates a wheel of any suitable construction havingspokes 6 and a felly 7, which may be of any desired form,

Specification of Letters Patent.

,7 therefor.

Patentednug. 30, 3321-. RenewedJanuary 31, 1921. Serial No. 4 L1g155.

but is shown as having an outer band 8 surrounding and securedto thesame. The con struction of the wheel and its component folly, however,is not essential and may be varied indefinitely. The tire embodying thepresent improved features comprises as its main elements an outer springband 9, a solid elastic tread 10, groups ofspring units 11 and rigiddevices or units 12, each spring unitv 11 and rigid device or unit 12having their extremities overlapped and formed with circular sphericalsockets l3 and 142. The opposed overlapping sockets 13 and of the springand rigid units have antifrictional devices or balls 15 interposed therebetween and engaging the reversely arranged concave faces of thesockets. Each spring unit 11 is comparatively thicker or heavier thanthe spring units disclosed in the structures of my copendingapplications hereinbefore specified. and said unit 11 is secured by asuitable fastening 16 extending through the central portion thereof tothe spring band 9 and the tread organization 10, the latter havingtransversely extending t :ad' holding plates l7with centralscrew-threaded sockets'lS to receive the several fastenings or bolts 16,asclearly shown in F 8. The rigid devices or units 12 are held in thefelly 7, the latter being transversely bored at regular intervals toform a plurality of openings 18 therearomid .inwhich metal bushings orwearsleeves 18* are inserted, and in these wear sleeves cylindricalstems or shanks 20 are inserted from opposite ends of each opening, theshanks having, outer heads 21 abutting against the opposite sides of thefolly and iniwhich the sockets 141 are formed. The stems 20 and heads 21are combined in the rigid device or unit, and will be formed of suitablemetal having a degree of hardness suiiicient to resist wear. If foundnecessary, anyone of the combined shanks 20 and heads 21 may be removedfrom the folly and another similar device substituted The spring units11 and the rigid units 12 will be disposed around the wheel fell inregular relation and separated by uniform spaces 22, thereby forming atire of open structure which will permit free ventilation thereof andalso generally lighten. the weight of the same without in from therequisite strength and durability of a tire of this class. The'springunits the least detracting 11, as hereinbefore described, are heavierthan the spring units disclosed in my copending applications to permitthe tire to he used for heavier work and also to maintain the sockets inthe extremities or" the unit 11 in. overlapping connected associationwith the sockets 14 of the rigid device or unit. The operation of thepresent improved tire is very similar to the operations of the tire ofmy copending applications, and when the tire is subjected to compressionstress at any Joint the adjacent spring units respond thereto and theextremities thereof ride or slide over the extremities or" the rigiddevices or units, the extremities of the spring units expanding, but arecontinually maintained in operative or connected association with thesockets 14 by the interposed balls 15, in view oi the -fact that thelatter are free to move or ride in the sockets and travel toward theconverged peripheries of the op posing pairs of sockets, and hence thesockets of the spring units and of the rigid devices or units will bemaintained in operative relation. without the liability of accidentalseparation or disorganization. As in my copending structures, the springband 9 materially augments the resiliency of the tire, and assists inthe restoration of the parts or the tire to normal condition after ithas been relieved of compression stress or strain. It will also beunderstood that the general proportions and dimensions of the severalparts of the improved tire may be modified at will. in assembling theparts of the tire the extremities or the sockets 13 of the spring unitare sprung over the sockets 14: of the rigid device or units, andreleased When the antii rictional device or balls have been insertedbetween the pairs of sockets; and conversely a disjointure of the springand rigid units may be affected by forcing the sockets 13 or theextremities of the spring units out: wardly to release the balls 15,when the tire, as a whole, may be readily removed. Moreover, anyone ofthe spring units 11 may be removed and a similar device substitutedtherefor without dismantling or disorganizing the entire wheel or tirestructure.

Vhat is claimed as new is:

l. A tire comprising a spring unit, a rigid unit, the spring unit andrigid unit having overlapping extremities provided with .sockets,.thesockets of the spring unit being directly formed as integral parts ofthe extremities thereof and located outside of the sockets of the rigidunit, and antifrictional devices interposed and freely movable be vtween and engaging the said sockets and holding the latter inreciprocating spaced relation, the sockets of the spring unit beingclear of any part of the rigid unit for un restricted movement.

2. A tire comprising a spring unit and a rigid unit, the two unitshaving overlapping ends held in association "for relative reciprocatingmovement, the ends of the spring unit being located outside of the endsof the rigid unit and clear of all parts of the latter forunrestrictedmovement.

3. A tire comprising a spring unit with sockets integrally formed withthe extremities thereof and opening inwardly, a rigid unit consisting ofoppositely disposed devices having outer terminal sockets, V the socketsof the spring unit extending over the OJLLGY portions of the sockets ofthe rigid unit, and antifrictional devices interposed between andengaging the sockets of the spring and rigid units.

a. The combination or" a felly having transversely extending openingstherethrough, a spring band extending around the telly and spacedtherefrom, rigid units comprising stems reniovably inserted in reversepositions in the openings of the telly and having outer terminalsockets, spring units connected to the said band and hc ving sockets atthe free extremities overlapping the terminal sockets of the rigidunits, and anti-frictional devices interposed between 'and engaging thesockets of the spring and rigid. units and holding the same in relativereciprocating association.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WVILLIAM N. ALLAN. I

